What ingredients are commonly added to manufactured 'low-fat' foods that can make them as fattening as full-fat versions?

Added sugars or starches to preserve texture and flavor

A common pitfall in making informed dietary choices is assuming that products labeled 'low-fat' are automatically healthier choices. Manufacturers often remove the fat content to meet these labeling requirements, but to compensate for the subsequent loss in texture, mouthfeel, and overall flavor profile, they frequently substitute the removed fat with other ingredients. The primary replacements utilized are often refined carbohydrates in the form of added sugars or starches. This substitution results in products that, while low in the fat nutrient, maintain a high caloric load and often possess an increased potential to drive overconsumption, rendering them just as, or sometimes even more, fattening than their original full-fat counterparts.